Endings
by hidden angelite
Summary: “They’re bittersweet. That’s what makes a good ending, you know? That’s what all the good endings have in common.”


A/N: Thanks to all the people who reviewed my other one shot, and a lot of you said that my second ending was very rushed and I completely agree with you. Maybe I'll get around to making it into a nicer piece, but in the meantime I have this new one! Please read and review it!

"They're bittersweet. That's what makes a good ending, you know? That's what all the good endings have in common." Yuuri laughed a little in spite of himself, a short, dry, dying laugh. "If they weren't bittersweet, then we wouldn't think about them afterwards…if it was all happy, then no one would think about it and…"

"There would be no closure," Conrad supplied for them.

Yuuri sniffled. "Yeah maybe…and no one could be happy with a sad ending…"

Wolfram huffed and stood stiffly, back straight, looking right ahead, making use of all his training as a soldier. His arms were crossed defiantly as he had so often crossed them before, standing and looking very much like himself when he had first met Yuuri. It was like a little child, pouting because he didn't get his way. The thought brought a tugging smile to Yuuri's face. That was very much like the supposed soldier. Somehow, he managed to be both childish and mature.

"Wolfram—"

The blonde looked to Yuuri, bringing his eyes back into to focus to see the other's imploring gaze. The deep green eyes that Yuuri looked into only betrayed his emotionally unstable state, but no specific emotion laid present there. He had expected anger, maybe sadness, but this blank, well trained person in front of him left him speechless. What do you say in a situation like that? Sometimes, the silence is truly the best way.

"Shibuya…" Murata took a step forward, but Yuuri moved away with a 'not yet.' "We need to get going…"

Somehow, Murata, even though he was only a few steps behind him, seemed very distant, pushed away, and a fleeting, if Murata was pushed in without me, I could go back and forth between here and Japan, was entertained in maou's mind, but as soon as Yuuri realized it, he pushed the notion away. That of course, would not happen, as nice as it sounded, it wasn't possible.

Yuuri forcefully removed his gaze from Wolfram.

"Gwendal…eh," in true Yuuri form he scratched at the back of his head, "guess you'll have to do all the paperwork for awhile until you find another maou…heh, sorry…" The stoic mazoku grunted with a nod and there was a chinking of the dolphin keychain on his sword.

"Gunter,"

"Heika!" In a blur of white fabric and soft locks, Gunter ran to Yuuri, wrapping his arms about the smaller boy and muttering endearing phrases and in turn Yuuri blushed. Hesitantly, the ebony haired boy put his arms around the older mazoku and patted his back awkwardly as the other wailed. Wolfram and Gwendal twitched.

Disentangling himself from the wind master, Yuuri walked over to his mentor and friend, the man who had endowed him with so many years of teasing which he would shortly be returning to. Conrad.

"Bye Conrad." Yuuri hugged the man who had stuck with him through thick and thin. "Just in case you get sent to Japan, keep practicing baseball, ne? Then maybe we can play…" Chances were, that he would never be seeing Conrad again, but somehow being positive was much easier, and that idea made parting less difficult.

Conrad nodded. "I will. Good bye, Yuuri." The boy smiled, Conrad was calling him by his name. It was about time.

Murata watched from a distance as Yuuri went from one person to another, saying his final good byes before the two left for Japan for the final time. Yuuri had done what the Original King had set up for him, and now they would no longer be needed here, and thus there would be no traveling from world to world; no more uneasily explained water troubles. In some ways, this relieved Murata, he would no longer have to look out for Yuuri nor worry about him facing danger in the way he did here at Shin Makoku, but on the same token, Murata would have to pretend once more to be the high school student, he couldn't be the Great Sage any more.

Yuuri came face to face with the fiery blonde he had been sharing a bed with ever since he had first gotten there, his accidental fiancé. Who would have thought a slap could change so much.

"Well I guess this is it then, ne?" Yuuri smiled sadly, digging his hands into the pockets of his royal black school uniform and realizing for the first time, he was probably going to miss being called a wimp and having to worry about being caught talking to other people; especially girls. Wolfram looked away, and they stood that way until Murata called for the earth-bound Maou once more.

"Bye, Wolfram," Yuuri turned to leave. So this was it? All that and just a small good bye. Life certainly was finicky…

"Wait—Yuuri you wimp." The name was not meant demeaningly, and if Yuuri had thought Wolfram was sentimental, he might have imagined it was said merely for old time's sake.

Yuuri turned to meet the blazing green of his fiancé's eyes with his clouding black ones.

The blonde, with a sudden change of heart, wrapped his arms around the boy. Yuuri felt a warm wetness dripping against his neck, the warm saltiness of tears. The boy returned the embrace tightly, allowing his own tears to slip from his eyes and fall against Wolfram's shoulder. This was nice, and somewhere in the back of his mind, Yuuri realized he could have had this all the time if he had wanted, but that made this hug all the more special.

"I still love you, Yuuri." The statement was broken with the blonde's pent up emotions, but Yuuri understood. "You better not cheat on me over there…you're still my fiancé."

They pulled apart, tears still sparkling in their eyes and remained close.

"Good bye, Yuuri," and the blonde soldier averted his eyes, hiding the tears that resided there.

Yuuri swallowed and shifted his weight. "Bye, Wolfram."

Quickly, and so much so that Wolfram questioned it ever happening, Yuuri kissed the blonde on his cheek and hurried back to Murata. The first and last kiss, how fitting that it would be shared that way, simple and quick, and initiated by Yuuri.

"Let's go, Shibuya."

Yuuri chanced a glance back at Wolfram who was staring with a light blush across his cheeks, holding his cheek against his hand with a small smile playing at his lips. Yes, all the good endings really were bittersweet. And he and Murata disappeared into the fountain. The fountain that Wolfram, Gunter, and Conrad had often come to pick them up, this would be the last time they would all be there together. The water swirled in its familiar pattern, and Murata and Yuuri were swept away with it.

Epilogue

Yuuri and Murata appeared back at the stream where they had left so long ago, right over the fence near the baseball diamond. Kneeling in the shallow water there, Yuuri began to cry softly. The bittersweet were always the best, but somehow, he had still been hoping for the happily ever after, ride off into the sunset on Ao option.

Murata placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "Come on, Shibuya…" And the two wet boys walked off quietly with silent silver tears streaming down Shibuya Yuuri's cheeks.

Owari

a/n: Hope you liked it. And just a reminder to please review, and if possible, constructive criticism is best, but I don't mind if you just say you like it. : )


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